What You Need to Know

Weekend Wrap-Up, 4/14

The Weekend Takeaway
During Adrian Gonzalez’s heyday with the Padres, from 2007-2010, the first baseman was a true all-fields power hitter:

Then Gonzalez tore the labrum in his left shoulder and underwent surgery on October 20, 2010. He was traded to the Red Sox that offseason and, for a while, the Green Monster sustained some of his opposite-field power. Then, on August 25, 2012, the Red Sox struck the infamous mega-deal with the Dodgers. And this happened:

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The Yankees- Red Sox game, where Dean Ana was "caught off the bag" by Bogaerts- How is this even a play? Anna was clearly safe at second, no matter what. Bogaerts was just trying out his chances, like an avid high schooler. Or is there never a time when a runner like Anna is safe in this situation? I heard one TV commentator say that, if anyone from the Yankees (either club?)had called "Time", Anna would no longer have been vulnerable to Bogaerts' ploy. Is that correct?

What is outrageous is the way in which the umpires- (I doubt at the direction of MLB?) are increasing uncertainty on the field, with no positive benefit to the game. This needs some adult supervision.

If he's tagged while not on the bag he is out, unless time has been called. Someone from one team or the other calling time would technically not be enough; it would have to be granted by the umpire, and they aren't supposed to grant time while a play is ongoing. The classic example of this is a batter asking for time after a pitcher has already started his windup. Sometimes it is granted, but sometimes it is not and the pitch counts even though the batter has asked for time. Anyway, in this case I would not consider the play over until Anna settles himself on the bag, which would mean time could not have been granted before he was tagged out even if he asked for it. That's subject to interpretation, but the point is that simply calling time doesn't absolve the runner from maintaining contact with the base.

The rule has a built-in clause to prevent this: "In establishing the validity of the catch, the fielder shall hold the ball long enough to prove that he has complete control of the ball and that his release of the ball is voluntary and intentional."

If the outfielder intentionally drops the ball, in the umpire's view, my understanding is that it'll be a catch—or at least it should be based on the wording of the rule.

Bumgarner ended up with 5 RBI's as he previously had a fly ball to the wall for a sacrifice fly so De La Rosa really should have known better. There are quite a few position players that have worse batting mechanics than Bumgarner. The same can't be said for his pitch recognition skills.